Video Games
by CelticHeartedFanfic
Summary: Part Fourteen of my "Gone to the Dogs" series. Belle and Gold go shopping for new sheets. Emma and Bae play "video games" and Gold accidentally reveals something to Belle that surprises her and sends their relationship on a new trajectory. This installment contains fluff and mild smut. And, of course - dogs!


It's been a LONG time, but I'm back with another installment of my "Gone to the Dogs" series - This one is part 14! If you need a refresher to this verse, see my previous 13 installments. Enjoy!

 _ **Video Games**_

"Welcome home!" Belle shouted with excitement, throwing her arms around Gold as he entered his house, Stewart and Sophie both barking furiously. Bae walked in behind him carrying a suitcase, and Gold looked back at him nervously.

"Papa, it's okay, kiss her," Bae commented, and he rolled his eyes as he walked past the two of them. Gold sighed and smiled a half smile at Belle.

"Well, we do have permission," Belle joked, and Gold wrapped his arms around her and kissed her hard. Stewart began to bark even louder, then started jumping at both of them. Gold pulled out of their kiss and looked down at Stewart.

"Jealous, are we?" Gold asked the little dog.

"Oh, go pet him, he's excited to see you," Belle said, and Gold made his way to the sofa, the dogs following close behind him. The moment that Gold sat down, Stewart flew into his lap. Sophie put her head on Gold's lap, and Stewart snapped at her angrily.

"Sophie, let them have a moment," Belle said, pulling Sophie away from the sofa. Stewart wiggled all over Gold's lap, licking Gold's face with excitement.

"Alright, alright, I missed you too, boy. I hope you were better behaved for Belle than you were when I left."

"Oh, he was very good. I think both he and Sophie are quite sorry for what happened."

"I'll be the one that's sorry when I have to spend the money to purchase a new comforter set. I'm going shopping today; would you like to come with me?" Gold asked.

"For bedding? Me?" Belle asked, surprised.

"Well, I um – I kind of want to know what you like," Gold teased.

"I bought my sheets at Target, Ronan, I'm not fussy. Besides, Ronan, it's your bed."

"I know that, I just – well – I'm presuming that, at some point, eventually -" Belle blushed a bit.

"When exactly is Bae going to be spending a weekend at a friend's house?" she asked.

"I'll see if that can happen soon," Gold replied, and he smiled at her just as Bae came bounding down the stairs. Stewart jumped off of Gold's lap and ran to Bae.

"Papa, Emma wants me to come over, she has a new video game she wants to show me. Is that okay?" Bae asked as he scooped up Stewart. Sophie began to bark at him, clearly jealous. "Sorry Sophie, I don't think I can pick you up," Bae said, looking down at her.

"That'll be fine, Bae. Belle and I have some errands to run anyhow, I'll drop you off there," Gold said.

"Can the dogs go too? Emma's mom said it's okay; they just got a new puppy, they want to have her start to meet new dogs to socialize with."

"Oh, Sophie loves puppies, she's such a mother hen! Are you sure the Nolans are alright with it?" Belle asked.

"Yeah, they're cool. I'll take care of them, I promise," Bae said.

"I suppose that'll be fine," Gold said. "Come on then, let's get going."

* * *

"So has Bae been friends with Emma very long?" Belle asked as they walked together in the department store.

"Oh, they've been friends forever. Practically since they were babies. The Nolans moved to town when Bae was just a bit over two years old, and Emma is only a few months younger. They were in school together until Milah moved him to Boston with her.

"And they're – just friends?" Belle asked.

"Yes, they're just friends, why would you ask that?"

"They're teenagers, Ronan. And Emma seemed very _happy_ to see Bae. Almost as happy as I was when you got home."

"Bae has never spoken about Emma in that way. I've always thought the boy may have a bit of a crush on her, but if he were interested beyond that I'm sure he'd have discussed it with me."

"Ronan, did you tell your father every little detail when you were a young boy?" Gold thought about it for a moment.

"Well, it's not like they're alone, Emma's mother is home, and she just had a baby a few months ago."

"Oh, okay. So – she's got an infant and she's going to be spending every moment watching over two young teenagers. Got it," Belle remarked. Gold suddenly began to look nervous.

"Let's just look at sheets, shall we?" Gold asked, desperately trying to change the subject. Belle simply shrugged but said nothing. "Belle – I trust my boy. He's respectable and polite and besides they're just playing video games, they've been doing that for years. Besides, the dogs are there, and Emma has a new puppy -"

"Ronan, it's okay. You're probably right. I just know that I had a massive crush on this boy when I was fourteen, and if he had come over to my house to play 'video games' I would have -"

"Yes, I'm very clear on what you would have done, you're not exactly subtle, are you?"

"Well, someone had to! Honestly, I've never had to work so hard to get a man to notice me!"

"Oh, they usually fall at your feet, do they?"

"Well – most of the time, yes. Unfortunately – I don't usually want them. Not like you."

"Let's see if you have better taste in sheets than in men," Gold commented.

"My taste in men is just fine," Belle responded, and she kissed him on the cheek. Gold blushed a bit as he noticed a few people staring at them. Belle pulled away from him when they entered the bedding department and started looking at the sheets that were on the sale rack.

"Hey – let's look over here," Gold said, and he took her hand and pulled her toward the display of satin sheets. "Which ones do you like?"

"I was fine with what's on sale," Belle said.

"I prefer – something nicer," Gold replied. "I like the gold or the blue. Which do you prefer?" Belle picked up one of the sheets and looked at the price tag.

"Ronan – this is more than my entire paycheck!"

"You're not paying for it, I am," Gold replied. "What do you think of a mix of the blue and gold? How about blue sheets and the gold comforter and pillow cases."

"I like blue – it's my favorite color," Belle said.

"I know," Gold replied. Belle eyed him up and down and bit her lip playfully.

"What time do you have to pick up Bae?"

"Unfortunately, in a couple of hours, Emma has to be a puppy class or something with her new dog." Belle pouted a bit. "You know, I um – I can see if Bae can spend the night at his friend August's house next weekend, I'm sure he'd like that."

"That sounds good," Belle replied. She wrapped her arms around him and pulled him into a kiss, as several people passing by stared at them.

"Belle, people are watching," Gold said as he pulled out of her arms.

"Does that bother you?"

"I just prefer – privacy," Gold replied. "Come on, let's go check out, then we need to go downstairs, I told Bae I'd pick up this new video game he's been wanting."

"How many will that make?" Belle asked.

"I've lost count at this point, but – he enjoys them. The boy deserves some happiness; he certainly doesn't get any with his mother."

"Why is he with his mother? I mean, you obviously love him very much, and from what I've heard from him, he'd much prefer to live with you, and I would think he'd old enough by law to make that choice."

"That – is another tale for another day. I really don't want to go into it right now, dear."

"Okay. But you'll tell me eventually, right?"

"I suppose I'll have to," Gold grumbled half under his breath.

* * *

Sophie and Stewart barked happily as Belle and Gold entered the Nolan's house, accompanied by a tan and white puppy that looked to be about four months old. "Oh, you are so adorable! What's her name?" Belle asked, scooping the little puppy into her arms as Sophie began to bark. "Oh stop, I'm just saying hello," Belle chided the large dog.

"It's Zoey – she's a red heeler, David brought her home just after you dropped off Bae, she was at the office with him this morning. He tries to take her a few days a week to get her socialized," Mary Margaret Nolan said.

"Well, how did Stewart and Sophie do? Were they good?" Belle asked.

"Oh, they were fine. Zoey had so much fun with them, and the kids did too, they played with them almost the whole time," Mary Margaret said.

"And where are Bae and Emma?" Gold asked.

"Oh, they're upstairs in Emma's room," Mary Margaret replied.

"Upstairs? Alone?" Gold asked.

"They're just playing video games, the dogs were tired and resting, and Emma said she was going to show him her new game."

"And you trust that that's all they're doing up there?" Gold asked.

"Oh, come on, it's Bae and Emma, what else would they be -" Mary Margaret stopped, thought about it for a moment, then ran to the foot of the stairs. "Emma! Bae! Please come down here right now!" she shouted, and the moment she did so, the dogs started barking, and her infant son, Neal, who had been napping in the living room, awoke and began to cry. "Oh, Neal, I'm sorry!" Mary Margaret ran to pick up her screaming son.

"It looks as though you have your hands full – we'll be out of your hair as soon as Bae comes downstairs." Just as he said this, Bae and Emma came rushing down the stairs. Gold couldn't help but observe that Bae's hair was a bit tousled, as was Emma's, though it was less obvious with her due to her longer hair. "Are you ready to go?" Gold asked, eyeing the boy up and down.

"Yeah, sure Papa – I'll text you tonight Emma, okay? Maybe we can play online."

"Play what?" Gold asked.

"Video games, what else?" Bae asked.

"Yes. Of course," Gold replied. "Get the dogs leashed up." Gold looked over at Belle, who was still holding and cooing over little Zoey. "Belle, you need to give the puppy back."

"But she's so CUTE!" Belle protested.

"We have two dogs, we don't need another one," Gold reminded her. Belle gave him a surprised look at his comment, but said nothing. Belle handed the puppy over to Emma, who in turn gave her Sophie's leash.

"You should bring her over sometime, she seems to like playing with Stewart and Sophie," Belle suggested.

"Oh, that'd be great!" Mary Margaret chimed in as she walked over holding her screaming son, Neal, in her arms. "I mean – managing a baby, a teenager, AND a puppy can be – overwhelming at times."

"Gee, thanks mom!" Emma remarked.

"I'm sure we can arrange something – we'll be in touch," Belle said.

"WE?" Gold asked after they had left the house and Bae started walking the dogs to the car.

"Yes, WE. As in WE have two dogs, don't think I missed that little comment," Belle reminded him. "Weren't WE just picking out bed sheets? Together?"

"Yes, I suppose WE were," Gold agreed, and he smiled a bit as he and Belle walked to the car together.

* * *

"Ronan, why don't you and Bae set up that new video game, I'll get dinner started," Belle said as they entered Gold's house. Stewart and Sophie ran up the stairs.

"You two destroy anything else and you'll be sleeping outside tonight!" Gold shouted at them. Belle just rolled her eyes at him as she headed toward the kitchen.

"You got me the game, papa? Cool!" Bae shouted, and he started searching through the bags that they had set on the chair in the living room.

"Not so fast," Gold said, grabbing Bae's hand. "What exactly were you and Emma doing up in her room this afternoon?"

"I told you – we were playing video games," Bae said.

"I see," Gold said, and he grabbed Bae's t-shirt collar and pulled it down a bit. There was a small red and purple mark there. "Couldn't help but notice that when you and Emma were stumbling down the stairs, I presume she has a similar marking?" Bae pushed Gold's hand away.

"Okay, so we were messing around a bit – it's no big deal," Bae said. Gold sighed.

"Bae, you're fourteen years old, I know what 'messing around' can lead to. Emma is a very pretty girl, and I'm not surprised that you feel this way about her, but you're far too young for this sort of behavior. I'm afraid I'm going to have to call Emma's parents and let them know that from here on, you and Emma are not to be playing video games – or anything else – without proper adult supervision, and certainly not in one another's bedrooms."

"Papa, no! You'll get her in trouble! Papa, I swear, we didn't do anything else, we just made out a little bit, that's all," Bae insisted.

"Well then – I think her parents need to know that."

"Papa, please – we won't do it again, I promise!"

"And I'm supposed to believe that, why? I'm sorry Bae – you and Emma are far too young to be doing foolish things. Choices have consequences, son. Now go set up your game, I'm going to make sure the dogs aren't tearing anything else up in the bedroom." Not saying a word, Bae angrily grabbed his new video game and took it to the television to set it up.

* * *

Later that evening, Gold and Belle were sitting on the sofa, playing Bae's new video game together. "Ha! I won again!" Belle shouted, laughing a bit. "Third time in a row now."

"Yes, you're quite good at this, aren't you?" Gold remarked.

"I thought Bae would want to play too – what's going on with him? He barely said a word at dinner, then took the dogs and skulked upstairs."

"He's a bit angry with me. He'll get over it."

"What'd you do, Ronan?" Belle asked.

"Why do you presume I did anything? He and Emma were – in his words – 'messing around' in her room today, and he has a sizeable mark on his neck to commemorate the event."

"So he got a hickey, he's a teenage boy! They were probably just making out, what's the problem?"

"Belle, he's fourteen – and so is Emma, and I'm sorry, but fourteen-year-old kids are not known for being responsible when it comes to – certain things. They get distracted."

"You mean like this?" Belle asked playfully, and she crawled onto his lap and started kissing him on his neck.

"Belle – Bae is upstairs," Gold reminded her.

"Given what you just told me, I doubt he'll be coming down anytime soon. So – aren't you up for some – 'messing around'?"

"I'd prefer 'messing around' with you on those new sheets upstairs," Gold replied.

"Well, we'll get to that eventually. But for now – this will do." Belle pushed Gold back on the sofa, and she kissed him hard on the lips. Gold wrapped his arms around her back as Belle straddled him. She then reached for his hands and pinned them over his head.

"So I lose to you on that bloody game, now I lose at this?" Gold asked.

"Is this really losing, Ronan?" Belle asked.

"I suppose not," Gold replied.

"I missed you this week. I missed you so much," Belle whispered.

"Oh, sweetheart, I missed you too. I missed you so terribly, my love." Belle gasped at his words, loosening her grip on his wrists.

"Ronan – did you just say -"

"I – I didn't mean for it to come out like that, I just -" Belle put her fingertip against his lip.

"I love you too, Ronan," Belle whispered. Gold's eyes widened in surprise.

"You – you do?" he asked, his voice trembling.

"I do." Gold tried his hardest not to allow tears of joy to well up in his eyes, and he failed miserably at the effort.

"Oh – oh my darling Belle – I love you so much." Gold and Belle practically attacked one another with their lips as they melded together in a fervent kiss. They kissed and rolled on the sofa for several minutes, coming up for breath now an again. After a bit, Gold was rock hard and Belle could feel herself getting wetter and wetter. "We should stop," Gold whispered.

"I don't want to," Belle replied.

"I don't either, but Bae is -" just as he began the sentence, Stewart and Sophie came barreling down the stairs, followed by Bae. Barking loudly, Stewart jumped on top of them, and Gold and Belle sat up quickly. Both had tousled hair, and Gold's shirt was halfway unbuttoned. Belle's sweater was hanging over her shoulder, revealing her bra strap. Gold pushed Stewart off and they both did their best to straighten themselves out.

"What's going on here?" Bae asked.

"Oh, we were just – playing video games," Belle replied. She smirked a bit, and Bae stared at them in disbelief.

"What are you doing down here, I thought you weren't speaking to me," Gold said.

"The dogs needed to go out," Bae said. "Come on guys, let's go." Bae led the dogs to the back door.

"Well – I should probably go then when Sophie gets back in," Belle said. "It's getting late anyway."

"Yes, I suppose," Gold agreed reluctantly.

"But we – we should probably talk about this."

"I, um – I'm going to see if Bae can go to his friend August's house this weekend instead of next," Gold suggested.

"Okay," Belle said with a big smile on her face just as the dogs came charging back into the house. "Alright, Sophie, let's go." Sophie barked at Belle when faced with her leash. "No argument – we have to go, it's late. Goodnight, Bae."

"Goodnight, Belle," Bae replied. Gold stood up and walked with Belle to the door.

"I um – I'll let you know about – what we talked about then," Gold said quietly.

"Okay. Goodnight, Ronan." Belle gave him a soft kiss on the cheek, then left with Sophie. Gold made his way back to the sofa and sat down. Stewart immediately jumped on his lap.

"So – video games, huh?" Bae asked, sitting down next to his father.

"I did pay for it, I am allowed to use it," Gold replied.

"Right," Bae said. One of Gold's shirt buttons was still undone, and Bae noticed a small red mark on his father's neck.

"Looks like we match now, Papa," Bae remarked.

"What are you talking about?" Gold asked. Bae pointed to his father's neck. Gold stood up and made his way to the mirror hanging over the fireplace, and he glanced at his neck, then looked back at Bae, who was sitting on the sofa, laughing.

"Thought you were old enough to know better, Papa!" Bae continued laughing, and Stewart started barking playfully.

"Oh – go to bed. Both of you!" Gold marched over to the stairs as fast as he was able and climbed them in a huff.

"I think Papa's in love," Bae said to Stewart as he pet the little dog. "You are too, aren't you? And you know what? So am I." Bae's cell phone rang, and Bae picked it up. "Hey, Emma. Yeah, I miss you too . . . ."


End file.
